Mike Vukovcan One day after losing to Deer Lakes 5-2, the Hopewell HS Softball team bounced back with a big-time effort against Central Valley
The Lady Vikings offense stepped up in a big way led by Kara Barkovich and Victoria Mann, who both blasted two homeruns, enroute to a 14-8 win over CV.
Hopewell hitters banged out a season-high 13 hits and 5Â home runs. Aside from Barkovich and Mann, Tallulah Showrank who hit a solo blast.
Taking a look at the Vikings box score, Mann and Tallulah Showrank, each had 3 hits. Barkovich and Alana Covalt both had 2 hits, while Isabella Katkich, Allison Ramaley, Marina Pinchotti also collected a hit.
The RBI collectors today were by Barkovich with 5, Mann with 3, Showrank with 2, Covalt with 1 and Ramaley with 1.
Central Valley jumped out to 5-4 lead after 2 innings but Hopewell then scored the next 7 runs of the game.
The turning point in the game occurred in the 6th inning. Teagan Scully, Covalt and Katkich led off the inning with 3 straight walks followed by Barkovich hitting a grand slam to center field to give Hopewell a 10-5 lead. Next up, Mann followed that up by clubbing a solo homerun to center field. Hopewell now led 11-5.
Central Valley added 3 runs in the bottom of the 6th inning but Hopewell responded with three of their own in top of the 7th inning. Covalt delivered an RBI triple, followed by back to back blasts again by Barkovich and Mann.
The beneficiaries of this offense were both Covalt and Ramaley. After a solid start yesterday, Covalt was back on the mound again this afternoon. Alana went the first two innings, allowing 1 hit, 5 runs (only 1 earned run), 6 walks and 4 strikeouts.
Ramaley pitched the last 5 innings of the game, allowing 4 hits, 1 run, 4 walks and 3 strikeouts. Allison threw 77 pitches, 45 of which were strikes.
With the win, Hopewell improves to 3-2 and will return to action on Wednesday when they travel to Moon.
